back to you. >> charles hodson, thank you very much. appreciate it. >>> we will talk to monsignor hilgartner, coming up. >>> and a cnn special on the pope's last day, anchored by erin burnett and quis cuomo in new york and christiane amanpour in rome. it will be simulcast on cnni. >>> the pope will begin meeting with the cardinals who must choose his successor. history unfolding as we speak at the vatican as pope benedict xvi prepares to step down, leaving the throne of st. peter vacant. good morning, everyone, thanks for joining us for cnn's special live coverage of the pope's last day. i'm john berman. >> i'm zoraida sambolin. we'd like to welcome our viewers from around the world on cnn international. in just over nine hours, pope benedict xvi's eight-year run comes to an end and the 85-year-old pontiff begins a new chapterer in life, it's called retirement. it is unprecedented. before pope benedict xvi departs he has unfinished business. at 5:00 a.m. eastern, the pope meets with dozens of cardinals who have made their way to rome to